It is very interesting to note, in 2023, that outside of education, people are writing about growth mindset like it is a new discovery. I’m sure that many colleagues in schools will be able to sit back in satisfaction that you have known about mindset for years, or even decades. The work on mindset in schools has been wonderful, and it is one of the ideas in the last 20 years that has got pretty close to being fully embedded.
Coaching and growth mindset are wonderful bedfellows, and in this article, we explore how coaching with a growth mindset attitude can be incredibly powerful in schools.
Fixed and growth mindset – a brief reminder
Having made that bold statement above, it is quite possible that new or younger teachers have not come across mindset ideas very much. So here is a brief summary.
The theory comes from Professor Carol Dweck, who has spent 45 years trying to work out the answer to this question “what makes some people engage in learning and developing themselves, and others avoid it?”. It stemmed from her own youthful experience where she started to notice what happened to her and her classmates when they were labelled, evaluated and categorised, both in positive and negative ways. The theory has been well tested, validated and written about extensively. Essentially it is this:
1. Most people will respond to situations, and have a core set of beliefs that can be categorised in one of two different ways – fixed or growth mindset
2. This is not a fixed set of personality criteria, but can change according to situation and circumstances
3. The theory is more about beliefs about us than fixed traits
Why is mindset important in coaching?
Arguably mindset is one of the most important aspects of coaching. As coaches we need to have a belief in the power of change for our coachee. We need to believe that their goals, ambitions, obstacles, challenges are all things that can be achieved or transcended. We need not to sit in a place of criticism, evaluation, or judgement. In short, we need to have a growth mindset about the growth mindset of our coachees.
This does not mean that we have to sign up to the happy, flag waving, you can do anything you want type of approach. Coaching can still be very focused and rigorous and will explore deeply aspirations that may feel like too much of a stretch.
And why is mindset important in coaching in schools?
As you will have seen from the last paragraph, we believe that mindset is important for all coaches and coaches. Regardless of where they work.
However, there are a number of reasons why it is particularly important in schools. These include:
– the fact that teaching and school leadership is such an evolving and dynamic job. Most people in those roles will be in a continuous state of self-reflection, analysis and self-improvement. Supporting them from a growth mindset perspective will be very powerful.
– More than most people, teachers and school leaders are role models for many people. For students, for colleagues, for parents, and for the community. Demonstrating a can-do attitude, showing that they have overcome obstacles, showing that they value their own effort. These are great pieces of role modelling.
– Teachers and school leaders are as human as the rest of us and will have their own anxieties and vulnerabilities. It is incredibly hard to manifest positivity and strong self-belief all the time. A combination of coaching and the coachee’s belief in their capacity to grow can help them navigate these vulnerabilities very well.
Examples of growth mindset in the school context.
On a daily basis, many growth mindset activities are taking place already. Students working on high challenge tasks and teachers using the metaphorical learning pit. Teachers trying out new teaching approaches. Leaders stretching themselves, taking on new initiatives and developing their own skills. This is the bread and butter of a school environment.
And in addition, we see lots of growth mindset coaching type of activities. Some examples include:
– Middle leaders deciding to have a coaching style of leadership. Rather than feeling that they must give lots of direction and instruction, they coach their team members. This sends a very clear message that they have high levels of trust in their team members. That they think their team members have potential and can also grow and develop.
– Tutors, subject teachers and heads of department helping students when they hit a wall or a belief obstacle. A combination of coaching approaches and growth mindset will help the adults support the student. Listening, asking action-oriented questions, showing they believe in the student. These are all great approaches to helping a student embed their own stretch.
– Head teachers learning to become coaches and earning a coaching qualification. We have trained over 100 head teachers in the last four years to become masters level coaches. Apart from anything else, these heads hardly have the time to do such extensive training. But they find it! And with learning to coach, they also change to embrace a coaching style of leadership. This shows a high degree of trust in their colleagues, and autonomy seeking all round. To find out more about head teachers engaging in coaching, you can read this blog post I wrote.
What can be the impact of coaching and growth mindset in a school?
If this approach is quite widespread, it can have a huge impact. A big key to culture change is normalcy and access. If all or most people in a school environment experience someone believing in them and their growth, that attitude is likely to spread. Both coaching and growth mindset send such a strong message that the person in front of us is believed in, trusted, and able to grow and stretch. I cover this in more detail in “Benefits of coaching for organisations and employees“.
Additionally, it is likely that more people will start coaching. More people will take on a more positive, growth mindset approach. More things will get done, and a stronger sense of empowerment and self-belief can spread.
I appreciate I am painting a utopian ideal. I know very well how challenging it is to be in and run a school with all of the pressures. Growth mindset and coaching do not solve every single problem. But they can make a huge impact and can support the wonderful work that takes place in schools.
Happy Coaching!
Charlie
